25 YEARS 25 MINUTES ANNIVERSARY PROJECT
In honour of our 25th anniversary in 2025, KCFF is pleased to announce 25 Years 25 Minutes! Filmmakers with significant connections to the Kingston community are invited to apply with a short film project for consideration (details below). Shortlisted applicants will pitch their film at KCFF24 to a jury of filmmakers, critics, and other industry professionals. From there, KCFF will award one successful team $25,000 towards the production of their short film project that will premiere at the 2025 edition of the festival.
Application Requirements
Applications should include a synopsis of the proposed film (500 words max.), an ‘in-progress’ script for the project that is sufficiently developed to convey theme and plot, a list of team members and their CVs, a working budget with proposed financing should the budget exceed the $25,000 prize, the proposed audience, and agreement to KCFF’s project terms and conditions (below). Projects can be of any genre, including drama, comedy, documentary, and experimental. The finished film will be a minimum of fifteen minutes long, and no longer than 25. Application deadline is January 1, 2024. Please be sure you meet the eligibility criteria before you apply.
Eligibility and Assessment Criteria
The lead applicant must:
- currently reside within 150km of Kingston or
- have attended post-secondary school in Kingston or
- have lived in Kingston for a minimum of 5 years in their youth
Each application will be awarded points based on the following criteria:
50 points: for the project synopsis and script, including 20 points for quality, 20 points for creativity, and 10 points for translation to film.
25 points: for the key creative team members, including 15 points for the lead applicant, based on education and experience as outlined in the CV. If the lead applicant is the only confirmed member at the time of submission, they will be assessed out of the full 25 points.
10 points: for the budget and financing plan.
15 points: for the overall impression of the project and the ‘fit’ with the award parameters and the ability of the film and team members to represent Kingston’s arts community. Points will be awarded for each confirmed team member other than the lead applicant who has a connection to the Kingston community. Eligible positions are producer, director, writer, and editor, for a maximum of 3 points. An additional point will be awarded if the lead applicant has previously had a film showcased in the Kingston Canadian Film Festival’s Local Shorts program.
Terms & Conditions
The winner of 25 Years 25 Minutes will enter into a contract with the Kingston Canadian Film Festival to ensure:
- KCFF retains exclusive rights to the film’s premiere at our 2025 festival
- film production remains on schedule and the final film is delivered to KCFF no later than December 31, 2024
- the successful applicant has complied with all eligibility requirements
- the successful applicant will be required to have appropriate liability insurance
The cash component of the award will be released at intervals outlined within the contract, with the final payment being released after delivery of the completed film.
